Protecting The Planet Starts With You!
Aiyesha Swarnn - 15th September 2021
Environmental problems have plagued the Earth for the past few decades, and the impact of human overconsumption and unsustainable practices are becoming more apparent and severe by the day.
Issues such as global warming, acid rain, air pollution, climate change, rising sea levels, ocean plastic, rainforest destruction, and others affect every human, animal, and nation on our planet, and could soon have irreversible consequences.
Whilst governments and major corporations have the most influence in reducing and reversing climate change, we can all play a part in lowering our carbon footprints by being mindful of our day-to-day actions that cause needless waste or environmental impact.
With that in mind, here are 7 things you can do to protect our planet starting now:
Reuse! Cut down on what you throw out and reuse as much as you can. As students, reusing our clothes reduces costly consumerism, it is simple and saves landfill space, so we are not just saving money but helping the environment in the long run!
Recycle clothing! Turn old clothes into cleaning rags, donate your unwanted clothes or look up textile recycling programmes. For example, Nike has a Reuse-A-Shoe programme that takes an old pair of shoes and transforms them into Nike Grind – a material that is empowering the next generation of athletes.
Educate! Learn more so you can find sustainable ways to help the environment. “The Conversation” and BBC Sustainability are great websites filled with many articles on sustainability. Additionally, David Attenborough’s “Planet Earth” and many other documentaries such as “Seaspiracy” on Netflix give us a visual demonstration of the planet we live on and how to further protect it!
Conserve water! 97.5% of the world’s water is locked in seas and oceans, too salty for human use. And most of the remaining 2.5% is in the ice caps. Due to this we need to start turning off the taps, especially when we are brushing our teeth. In a four-person household, where each person brushes twice each day, that’s 32 gallons of water wasted.
Plant a tree! You can plant a tree using the search bar called Ecosia or this study app called Forest. By studying and searching for things, you can help plant a tree.
Consume less meat! It’s an undeniable fact that agriculture contributes a huge amount toward global greenhouse gas emissions (around 14.5%, according to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization!). Whilst vegetarian and vegan diets are ultimately more sustainable and less resource-intensive, simply reducing your meat consumption to 2 or 3 days a week will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
And remember…. Shop wisely! Buy local products, avoid impulse buying and remember your reusable shopping bags. These are not just eco-friendly tips, but also saves you money in the long run.
All these tips can help future generations to come. Join our community of change-makers at Enactus Aston to contribute to the greater change.
